This is one of those combos that always seems like a cleantech solution made in heaven: bike paths covered by simple solar PV roofs. Bikers, using the cleanest mode of transportation on Earth, get a little relief from the sun or protection from the rain while also being separated from … [continued]
Another study came out recently showing that solar and wind power are the cheapest options in town for new electricity supply. This has been the case for at least a few years, as study after study after study has shown, and as indicated by the majority of new power capacity … [continued]
Researchers in California have identified new siting strategies for solar panels and CSP facilities that could meet all the state’s energy needs without taking up valuable agricultural land or affecting conservation areas.
Research led by the Fraunhofer Center For Sustainable Energy Systems finds that solar panels mounted above crops in an agricultural setting can raise the efficiency of the land by 60%. Further research is planned.
Originally published on Energy Post. “In a few years, solar energy plants will deliver the most inexpensive power available in many parts of the world. By 2025, the cost of producing power in central and southern Europe will have declined to between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt hour, and … [continued]
On March 20, the moon will pass in front of the Sun, blocking 82% of light reaching Germany. This is not a new occurrence, but given the country’s ever-increasing reliability on renewable energy — such as solar — the impact of this year’s eclipse could be critical. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for … [continued]
Solar power is set to become the cheapest power source in many parts of the world by 2025, according to a new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems commissioned by Agora Energiewende. The independent think-tank of 18 experts conclude that by 2025 the cost of producing power in … [continued]
Originally published on RenewEconomy (Editor’s note: This is part of a series of interviews and stories that will run over the next few weeks looking at Germany’s Energiewende, and the transition of Germany’s energy grid to one dominated by renewable energy. You can find them all in our Insight section). Solar PV at 2c/kW … [continued]
A significant breakthrough has been made in the light absorption and surface passivation abilities of silicon nano-structures (such as black silicon) by researchers at Aalto University in Finland. The improvements were made by the application of an atomic layer coating, which works to improve light absorption and to make it more … [continued]
A new solar photovoltaic conversion efficiency record for solar cells made of amorphous and monocrystalline silicon of 21.4% was recently set, thanks to the innovations of researchers at EPFL’s Institute of Microengineering in Neuchatel. The research team, led by professor Christophe Ballif, director of the Photovoltaics Laboratory (PVlab), recently … [continued]
